"Garroth?" I hear a voice whisper and give a slight knock on my door. I sit up and rub my eyes.

Vylad.

"What's wrong, Vylad?" I ask in a groggy tone.

"C-Can I sleep with you in your bed tonight?" He shyly asks while moving around the carpet with his foot.

"Why?"

"I-I got scared.. please?" He asks.

I give in and nod. I scoot over in my bed and he climbs under the covers, looking at me with his green eyes.

"Hey Garroth, can we get Aphmau something tomorrow?" He asks in a soft voice.

"Like what?" I ask.

"I dunno. But I have money saved. Maybe we can go to the gas station down the block tomorrow and get something for her." He shrugs.

I pause, "I would, Vylad, but she can't eat anything. She'll get sick."

"Please, big brother?" He asks.

"I'll sleep on it. Now, get some sleep. You need it." I smile at him and turn to my side and fall asleep.

I hear soft snores coming from him. It's cute. I'm not sure if he really got scared, but it's still nice to have him around me. I just think he's scared that I'll die and I won't be able to be with him for a long time.

I won't die, Vylad, I promise.

I slowly fall asleep, surrounded in darkness and silence. I pull the cover a little more over me to get warmer and then I'm out.

"I'm approaching you. The name's death."

"You have a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of two months."

"I asked you to live for me."

"You promised me you would!"

I wake up in the darkness, swimming in my sheets and drenched in sweat. I look over to see no one. Maybe he left to get something? I check outside. The sun shines a bright color on my face. I shut my eyes.

Figures he left, it's 8 AM.

I run downstairs, still in pajamas. My blonde hair sticks to my forehead because of the sweat. I try to ignore it.

"Hey Garroth," Zane says, his mouth full of cereal.

I give a small wave, "Hey."

I head into the kitchen to grab cereal from the top shelf. Luckily, I can reach it. I hear footsteps behind me.

"Morning, G," I hear mom say.

I turn around and smile at her, "Hey."

"Baby, you're sweaty. Are you okay? Are you running a fever?" She comes over to me and feels my forehead.

"No, I'm not sick," I say.

"What happened?" She puts a hand on my cheek.

"Nothing, I just... I just got hot last night is all."

She looks confused but forces a nod. I pour the cereal into a bowl and put milk in after it. I carry it to the table and sit down, scooping the spoon into the cereal and eat it. I haven't had cereal in forever. Well, good cereal at least.

Zane finishes and puts his empty bowl and walks to the kitchen. I continue eating, savoring every bite of the sweetness. Once I'm done, I pour the milk into my mouth and walk back into the kitchen.

I set my plate down in the silver sink and look around. It's good to be back. I remember stories and things about certain places in the house.

"Don't tell your mom, okay?" Dad told me as he gave a 1 year old me a small piece of candy. I had just gotten home from the hospital for the first time in weeks.

"Okay!" I exclaimed as I put candy in my mouth.

"There are my boys," mom said, walking in and picking me up.

"What are you eating, buddy? Did daddy give you something?" She asked, glaring at dad.

I nodded, "Candy!"

Mom gave a look to dad, "Garte..."

"It was a small piece of candy, calm down," he laughed.

I tried not to cry as I went upstairs. I opened my brown drawer and picked some clothes out, simple white T-shirt, black jeans, and black converse. Vylad walked into my room as I was tying my shoes.

"Garroth?" He asked.

"What's up, Vylad?" I asked.

He held out about 4 dollars in cash, "I got this to get Aphmau something from the gas station."

"Thanks Vylad," I smiled and took the cash.

I put my mask on and lathered my arms and hands in hand sanitizer. I put a small container of that same sanitizer in my pocket and went downstairs.

"Going somewhere?" Mom asked.

"J-Just to the gas station to get something for Aphmau," I said.

"Oh, right. Vylad told me about that. Are you wearing hand sanitizer?" She asks. I nod.

"Okay, be safe. If you need anything, call me." She kisses the top of my head and I leave.

I walk down the street. The best gas station is maybe two blocks away. Me and my friends to there all the time. Or went, considering I got sick.

I arrive at the gas station. Opening the door, I see a person I immediately recognize.

"Hey, Garroth!" He says.

"Hi, DJ," I say.

DJ owns the store. He opened it a couple years after I was born. He doesn't let anything weird go on there.

"Got any skittles?" I ask.

"Skittles? Don't you hate those?" He asks.

"First off, no, I don't hate them. Two, they're nor for me. They're for a friend."

"Who's this friend?"

"Aphmau, you've met her before," I blush a tiny bit.

"Got a crush on her?" He gives a smirk.

"What? No! Of course not!" My face heats up.

"Whatever. Here," he hands me a pack of regular skittles.

I laugh, "Thanks."

I hand him the four dollars and I get $2.50 back in change. I put it in my jeans pocket and start walking out the door.

"Hey, Garroth?" He asks. I turn around.

"I heard about your dad. I'm so sorry, I hope you feel better soon." He says.

"Thanks, DJ." I smile sadly at him and leave.

Walking back home, I see so many things. It feels weird to walk outside, but I sure love it. It's a bunch memory that I never want to forget.

I enter the house, turning the silver key on the golden knob and walking inside, not kicking my shoes off because I'll be leaving soon for the hospital.

"Here, Vylad," I walk up to him. He sits on the couch watching cartoons.

"Thanks," he takes the money without even really noticing me.

I roll my eyes, "Mom? Can we go now?" I call out.

"Yeah, Zane's gonna watch Vylad for a few minutes. I told them I wouldn't be too long," she says.

We smile at each other and walk out to the car. I sit down in the passenger seat and we start driving.

The clouds and trees disappear behind us. It's almost a miracle that I get to ride in a car again. I honestly didn't think I would survive.

We pull up to the collasus hospital. I get out of the car, making sure I still have those skittles. I smile, realizing they're still in my pocket. I walk into the rotating the doors and look around like nothing changed.

Mom and I walk up to the desk, "Aphmau Phoenix?" Mom says.

The nurse tells us her room number and gives us stickers that say our names and that we're visitors. I go to the elevator. Once we're inside, I squirt more hand sanitizer on my hands, making sure to rub it in thoroughly.

When we get to the cancer ward, I almost burst out of the elevator. I already memorized which room is which, so I know where Aphmau's door is. I knock on the door and look in her window. She smiles and motions for me to come in. I slowly turn the knob and walk in. She looks so happy to see me. I smile back and sit next to her.

"Garroth!" She exclaims.

"Hey," I say. "How are you?"

"Not great. I... saw my father." She looks down.

"What happened? What did he do to you?"

"He just... he acted like he didn't care about me. Like he didn't want me there," at these words, I pull her into a tight hug.

She pulls away and smiles at me, a bright pink coming to her cheeks. I take the skittles out of my pocket.

"Got these for you," I say.

She takes them and laughs, "Wow, you're such a charmer."

"Well I'm not allowed to bring flowers! Hospital policy!" I laugh.

"I know, but you could have tried harder. Like... I dunno. Chocolate?" She slightly slaps my arm with the bag.

"I thought it was the thought that counts!" I exclaim.

She giggles so hard she cant contain herself, "I'm kidding, you idiot!"

I pause for a few seconds. She looks at me confused and still giggling. I cross my arms and stick my nose slightly in the air.

"I knew that," I say after an awkward silence.

Aphmau giggles so hard she drops her skittles on the floor. I laugh, picking them up and handing them to her. She takes them and buries her head in her pillow.

"God, Garroth, you're so weird," she shakes her head.

"It's in my genes, child," I say.

"Child?!" She acts offended. I laugh.

"Well you are younger than me!"

"By like six months!" She says.

"Still!" I emphasize.

"You're annoying. So annoying," she opens the skittles and starts eating them.

Man, she's beautiful.

I'd be lost without her.

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Before I send this chapter, I want to point out this awesome art done by @JuliaDragon10

If you need an explanation, it's Zianna and all she's going through in this book.

I got the opportunity to see some other art she's done in her book that she tagged me in. It's absolutely amazing and I love it.

Thanks for reading! Bai!
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